Protective casing for electric meters.



. T. E. MURRAY.

PROTECTIVE GASING FOR ELECTRIC METERS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 25, 1912.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

T. E. MURRAY.

PROTECTIVE GASING EOE ELECTRIC METERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1912.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. E. MURRAY.

PROTECTIVE CASING FOR ELECTRIC METERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1912.

1 ,048,856, Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- To all .fw-tem #may concern:

. lApplication -Be--it known that I, THOMAS E.- MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing atl New York,'in'the county of New York and State'of NewYork, have invented a certain 4new,and'usei'ul.Improvement in Protective Casings for Electric Meters, of which the following 1s a' specification.

' -'.lheinvention is a protective casing for the leads ofan' electric meter and for the cut- 'out device to which said leads may be connected, the said casing being constructed to inc'losethe joints between the meter casing and the meter leads, also said leads, and also the'cut-out.

' In theaccompanying drawings-Figure 1 is 'a plan viewv of the device applied to a meter having 'a cylindrical casing, with the cover of the cut-out box removed. Fig. 2 is an elevation and-partial longitudinal section on line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view/of .the'meter pans of Fig. l, telescoped together. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device apphedto ameter having a quadrangular cas1ng,the cover of the cut-out box being re- ,moved Fig. '5 is 'a transverse section of the lpans A, B, on the -line y, y of Fig. 4, the

meter .easing being in elevation. Fig. 6 V shows 1n perspective `and separately, the meter pansA, B 4which coperate with the meter casing of Fig. .4, andFig. 7, the same with the pans telescoped together.

Similar letters andY numbers of reference indicate like parts.'l

. easingA and base, and are securedjto the terminals 8, 9,4

' tric meter Referringto Figs. 1, 2'and 3, 1 is an elecofany suitable type, with its caslng here shown in cyl-indrlcal form, supported onlegs' 2, 3, 4, whichI are secured to 'the base 5. The meterlea'ds. 6 extend rela# tively' parallel froman offset 7 on 'the meter pass between said. casing and the .1.0, 11 in the cut-'out block 12. My protec- Y tlve casingis in two communicating sections. vThe first' section comprises the pans A, B, of sheet metal', each formed with a bottom plate C, an endl flange D, a side ila'ngeE, and a top plateF.. The portonG' Of the side flange E covered by the top platevF is. higher than the remaining portion H of the flange. The side `langes atG the top plated?` and the end' flange 'D form a compartment, to nclose the 'jointsbetween the meter leads casing, -as' hereafter explained. The top plate F of pan A'isfturned Loverl at its edge, so that when the two are *placed t0-I s'peicafion Letters patent.

andthe meterv 'PROTECTIVE casina-ron ELncTmo METERS.

gether, as shown in Fig. 3, .the top' plate F of pan B telescopes insaid turned over portion, the flanges D and .bottom-'plates C then overlapping. The two pans are placed sc that the edges of the top plates .F and flanges D meet the straight edge of the cas' Y that the upper edges of the portions I-I of flanges E approximate the ing offset 7 and so bottom face of said casing. The 'length of the pans is such that they extend beyond the meter casing, as shown at I. Through both bottom plates C in this partA are formed transverse slots K for the reception of screws pans A, Bare 'se-1 L, by means of which the cured to the base. y.

The cut-out box device 12 maybe. of any desired form. As herein shown, it is a block of porcelain or other refractory insulating.

material, in which are two sockets 13, 14. The supply leads may be connected -to the terminals 15, 16 of two metal strips which;

pass through the body of the bloclfand are upwardly turned in the sockets 13, 14. Two

lof the meter leads are connected to the terminals 10, 11 of two similar metal strips which pass through the body of the block and are also upwardly turned in said sockets. In this way, spring clips are formed in each socket for the reception 'of fuse plugs, one

Patented Dee. 31, 1912.V 'leaanuaryzsi, 1912. seria1No.673,452. y

maining meter leads are connected to the ter- I minals 8, 9 of metal strips 18 which extend through the block, and the load leads may be connected to the terminals 19, 20ct' said strips.

The second section of my protective c as-d ing is a sheet metal pan J, secured tothe l base by internal Screws M, which receives A flange- N, which is to be higher. than'the the cut-outblck 12. Said' pan has a rim seated fuse plugf 17, ,as shown in Figl.j '2. One end of said pan'is, cut away `torece1ve the portion I of pans-A, QB, which extends beyond themeter casing, and to perI'nitsaid end to be brought closely-against said meter` vcasing, as shown at 0,;so 'thatthe meter casing coperates with -said pan in ,inclosin'g' the cut-out block.

Pis a metalc'over 'for the 'pan ,cutout at one endj-to lit an opening toreceive the Said flange has Onthe .un-

slotted projection 'It on pand.

lder lside of the cover" are hooksvS which en- 1.05v against the meter casingl y 'and having a flange Q at the other end,44

lgage with studs TUOI-1 the'inner'rside of'v flange N.'

85A i of which is shown at 17, Fig. 2. The re' 1 In assembling the device, the meter is placedon the base, and the fastening screws in legs 2 and 3 are inserted. The pans A, B are then pushed under the meter until the edges of top plates F and flanges D meet the offset 7. rIhe pans are telescoped together, as described, unt-il their side flanges E meet the sides of the meter casing. Fastening screws L are then inserted through the slots K, one of said screws also passing through the meter leg 4. The cut-- out box pan J is then fastened in place, as described. The cut-out block is out into it, and the connections made to the meter at terminals S, 9, 10, 11 and to supply and load at terminalsl, 16, 19, 20, the supply and load-leads being carried through au opening U in one end flange of the pan. The cover P is the-ny put in position, the hooks S engaging studs T and the flange Q receiving` projection R. Said cover is finally secured by a seal fastening V, the shackle of which is passed throughthe slot in projection R.

The construction of my device above described is especially adapted to the form of meter casing shown in Fig. 1, in which the meter leads are all at one side of the meterr casing. Where said leads are at opposite sides of the casing, which is usually the case when said casing is quadrangular, I modify the 'shape of the pans A, B, as shown in Figs, 4, 5, 6. Each pan has a bottom plate C provided with a side offset a. A flange b extends along one end of the pan, around said offset and along the adjacent side. At said end a portion of the flange is bent over. as shown at 0, and in this bent portion the flange of the opposite pan A telescopes. At the ends of the offsets a the flange b is made higher than elsewhere, as shown at d, and extending over said ends are movable covers e attached to the flanges b by clamping screws f passing through slots g. In assembling this form ofmy device, the pans A, B are first set on the base. The meter is placed between them and its legs are se-A cured to the base. The pans are then telescoped together, until the edges of the high flanges Z on the offsets a meet the sides of the meter casing. The covers e are suitably adjusted to permit the pans' to cover completely the joints between meter leads and meter casing. The pans are then secured by the screws L and the cut-out block and remaining portions of the device are attached andl connected in the manner already described.

It is tobe noted that the pans A., B cooperate with the meter casing and with the pan J and cover P completely to protect the leads between meter` and cut-out block, while the pan J and cover P protect the cutout block and its meter, load and circuit connections. There is no way of getting access to the connections, leads or fastening Screws, except by removing the cover P, and this cannot be done except by breaking the seal fastening V.

In case the leads 6 of the meter of Fig. 4 should be carried in the opposite direction to that shown, the pans A, B may be reversed end for end and the pan .I and cut-out block applied to the end of the casing which carries the leg 2; said leg then registering with one of the slots K and being fastened by screw L in the same way as the leg 4 in Fig. l..

I claim:

1. In combination with a base, a meter casing, a cut-out, and meter leads between said meter casing and eut-out, a casing formed in two communicating sections, one of said sections inclosing the joints between said meter casing and said leads and part of said leads and protruding beyond said meter casing, and the other section inclosing said cut-out, the remainder of said leads and the protruding portieri of said first seetion, and means within said sections for securing the same to said base: the said lastnamed section having a movable portion affording access to said cut-out. l

:2. In combination with a base, a meter casing, a cut-out, and meter leads between said meter casing and cut-out, a casing formed in two communicating sections, one of said sections eoperating with said meter casing to inclose the joints between said meter casing and said leads and part of said leads, and the other section eoperating with said meter casing to inclose said cut-out and the remainder of said leads, and means within said sections for securing the same to said base: the said last-named section having a movable portion affording access to said cut-out.

3. In combination with a base, a meter casing supported thereon and, at a distance therefrom, leads extending from said casing and between said casing and said base, two pans having bottom plates and flanges thereon disposed side by side and constructed to telescope laterally one upon the other, and means for securing said pans in mutually adjusted position: the said pans having compartments eoperating with said casing to inclose the joints between meter easing and leads and extending between said casing and said base and eoperating with the under side of said casing to inclose said leads.

4. In combination with a base, a meter casing supported on said base and, at a distance therefrom, leads extending from opposite sides of said casing and between said casing and said base, two pans having bottom plates and flanges thereon disposed side by side and constructed to telescope laterally one upon the other. and means for securing said pans in mutually adjusted position:

each of said pans having a compartment coperating with said casing to inclose the joints between meter casing and leads, and

' both of said pans extending between said casing'and said base and coperating with the under side of said casing to inclose said leads. 1

5. In combination with a base, a meter casing supported thereon and, at a distance therefrom, leads extending from said casing and between said casing and said base, two pans having bottom plates and flanges there' on disposed side by side and constructed to .cut-out device connected to said leads, and a casing secured to said base and cooperating with said meter casing to inclose said cut-out device.

6. In combinatlon with a base, a meter casing supportedthereon and, at a distance therefrom, leads extending from said casing and between 'said casing andlsaid base, two pans having bottom plates and flanges thereon disposed side by side and constructed to telescope laterally one upon the other, and means for securing said pans in Inutually adjusted position: the said pans having compartments coperating with said casingl to inclose the joints between meter casing and leads and extending between said casing and said base and coperating with the under side of said casing to inclose said leads, a cut-out device connected to said leads, a pan receiving said cut-out device and having side flanges coperating with said meter casing to surround said cut-out device, a detachable cover for said pan having an edge bearing against said casing, and a seal fastening for said cover.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. MURRAY. Witnesses:

GERTRUDL T. PORTER, MAY T. MCGARRY. 

